PATTERN: Flocked Mittens – (also on Ravelry)
SIZE: S (M, L)
TO FIT: 7.5” (8.25”, 9”) 19 cm (21 cm, 23 cm) palm circumference. If you are between sizes, knit
the closer size. If you wish to forgo the lining, choose the size that is approximately 1/2” larger in circumference
than your hand.
ACTUAL MEASUREMENT: 8.5” (9.25”, 10”) 21.5 cm (23.5 cm, 25.5 cm) circumference, and
9.5” (10”, 11”) 24 cm (25.5 cm, 28 cm) long.
GAUGE: 28 (26, 24) sts. and 30 (28, 26) rows = 4” 10cm in colorwork pattern. Gauge is critical for
proper fit!
NEEDLES: 3 (4, 5) US 3.25 (3.5, 3.75) mm, or size needed to get gauge. Pattern may be knit on
double points, a long circular for magic loop, or on 2 circulars.
NOTIONS: stitch marker, scrap yarn for holding stitches, darning needle.
YARN: Outer for blue/brown mittens – Quince & Co. Lark, 134 yards 123 meters / 50g, MC – 2 skeins in Glacier, CC – 1
skein in Bark. Lining – Quince & Co. Tern in Kelp, 221 yards 201 meters / 50g, 1 skein. Swiss
darned stitches – 10” worsted weight for each stitch Cascade 220 in dark red is shown.

Outer for gold/blue mittens – Quince & Co. Lark, 134 yards 123 meters / 50g, MC – 2 skeins in Honey, CC – 1
skein in Glacier. Lining – Quince & Co. Tern in Kelp, 221 yards 201 meters / 50g, 1 skein. Swiss
darned stitches – 10” worsted weight for each stitch Cascade 220 in burnt orange is shown.

Lark is a wonderful yarn to work with that comes in some seriously heart-stopping colors. I have taken photos of some really lovely Lark color combinations, grouped here in a Flickr set. This is not, by any means, all of the beautiful color combinations possible.

I’ve created a thread in the Hello Yarn group on Ravelry for discussing the pattern.

These mittens were originally created for Mitten School, so I filled them with fun little bits that make mitten knitting exciting to me. The are hemmed, have a picot edge, a stranded braid, gusset, Swiss darning (duplicate stitch) and a gorgeous soft lining. Once you’ve knit these, you’ll be fearless! This is a charted pattern with written instructions and full color photos.

For best results, please know how to knit in the round and are familiar with placement of stitches on your needles of choice. Be familiar with the long-tail and backward loop cast–ons, increasing and decreasing, picking up stitches, working from charts in the round, and stranded knitting.

Enjoy!

I’ll be back soon with handspun socks!

There are so many projects I need to post about, not the least of which is Pamela Wynne’s Elf Boots (Seriously, need a gift and are short on time? Make these. They’re fun, fast, and charming as can be!) For now, though, it would be sad if I couldn’t even manage to post about my new pattern.

These mittens were inspired by a teeny little photo of a Quaker cross stitch sampler that I saw in a magazine back in September. I made a sketch of the mitten, but was wishing I had a better view of the sampler, so poked around the internet and lo and behold, they are famous! And rightly so. Here’s a much better view of the sampler I saw that little photo of. Isn’t it lovely?

I knit about 5 different squirrels before I was satisfied, put stylized acorns all over the palms, added a picot edge and textured braids, and even an optional 3D acorn.

Pattern: Squirrel Sampler Mittens, my own design, which is for sale in electronic form, both [on this website] and [on Ravelry]
Yarn: Harrisville New England Shetland, in Pearl and Cocoa, and Misti Alpaca Lace Canada in Blue Mist Melange for the lining
Needles: size 0 Addi Turbo, for magic loop
Gauge: 9 sts per inch
Size: S

The lining is picked up from the inside hem edge and then pushed up inside after it’s knit. It is soft, soft, soft.

OMG, acorns!

OMG, stuffed acorn!

A ton of thanks to Pamela Wynne for allowing me to reprint her darling Wee Twee Tiny Acorn pattern. It’s available on Ravelry for all your tiny acorn needs.

Many thanks to David for forcing me to design a new pattern. He is a harsh taskmaster and had me sitting at the dining room table first thing every morning, working on stranded knitting on size 0 needles before I’d even had a reasonable amount of coffee.

Also thanks to my awesome test knitters and tech editor for all their help. It’d be a sad pattern without them!

Finally, Twist Collective is out and I can blab about my wooden scarf and mittens!

Boy, Twist Collective has been fun to work with. They supported me in making mittens and a scarf that look like little logs! I was also able to use a great local yarn, Harrisville New England Highland, that I adore. It’s a wonderful worsted weight tweed yarn that accentuates the rustic wood grain idea.

The pattern combines traveling stitches and colorwork, a steek, attached i-cord, sewn-in lining- all kinds of fun! These are a quick knit due to the weight of the yarn. I hope you enjoy them.

The Info:
Faux Bois Scarf and Mittens
Pattern available from Twist Collective, Fall ’08
Ravel the scarf.
Ravel the mittens.

The pattern contains instructions for both mittens and scarf.

The pattern from this issue that I just can’t get over is Anne Hanson’s Gnarled Oakwoods. It’s beyond gorgeous.

And I have to say, flipping through the pages is more fun than flipping through the Ikea catalog online, and that’s sayin’ something.